Director of Product at SunCulture Kenya Ltd

Key Responsibilities

Hardware Product Management

• Lead the hardware vision and product roadmap, setting the strategic direction of the hardware team and the products that SunCulture delivers to market
• Own, drive and maintain the full product development process as well as the underlying processes to bring products to life
• Provide guidance to all product leaders, remove roadblocks, lead product initiatives, and oversee the entire product portfolio
• Recruit all direct reports and new hires to the product management and hardware engineering teams
• Oversee product lifecycle management from inception, design and manufacturing, lab and field testing, technical product aftersales and product improvements, and end of life
• Drive a human-centered design approach among the product management team, placing smallholder farmers at the center of the development process to ensure SunCulture’s commercial products resonate with and are tailored to its target market
• Guide Engineering Project Manager from a technical perspective to be a liaison between the R&D team and the rest of the business, as well as approving and optimizing R&D budgets
• Manage International Project Technical Manager to ensure SunCulture’s international expansion and project teams are provided with technical support to drive flawless execution
• Collaborate with the Head of Supply Chain to ensure smooth and timely procurement of SunCulture products across all markets and distribution channels
• Manage the performance of the team in line with agreed upon quarterly OKRs

Does this sound Like You?

• 8-10 years of relevant experience leading teams developing hardware products (consumer products preferred)
• Bachelors degree in Electrical or Mechanical Engineering, or equivalent engineering degree
• Masters in Business Administration (MBA)
• Fluent in English; French and Swahili a plus
• Experience working in sub-Saharan Africa strongly preferred
• Deeply knowledgeable about solar and agriculture industry trends, engineering best practices (e.g. battery engineering and power electronics); knowledge and experience with Global Supply Chain a plus
• Strong vision setting, strategy, problem-solving and analytical skills, with a proven ability to communicate a clear product and hardware vision across the organization
• Thrive in a multicultural environment, with relevant experience managing distributed teams across multiple countries and continents
• Extensive experience in people leadership, working with stakeholders to create and execute on hiring strategies to build exceptional teams
• Comfortable with ambiguity in a fast evolving environment - able to to plan, stay organised and meet deadlines